Frequently Asked Questions

Should you have any questions that you can’t find here, please connect with us. We’re always happy to speak with you!

Why is Healthy Future Sask important?: The goal of Healthy Future Sask is to enable discovery and innovation in disease detection, treatment, control and prevention. The data collected from Healthy Future Sask will be combined with other cohorts from across the country to form a national data set. Examining large data sets from people, over time, reveals patterns and connects details to achieve new discoveries. For example, can cancer and other serious illnesses be detected earlier? How can we improve our health and the health of our children and grandchildren? Why do some people develop certain cancers and chronic diseases and others do not? What can we do together to improve health outcomes and build healthier communities?
Why should I participate?: By participating, you will provide researchers with tools to better understand health trends, the causes of chronic diseases and cancer, and improved healthcare for future generations.
Who can participate in Healthy Future Sask?: To participate, you need only to live in Saskatchewan, have a valid Health card, and be between the ages of 30 and 74. Healthy Future Sask accepts all individuals who meet the criteria above, regardless of health status.
How is my information protected?: Your information with us is private, safe and secure. We adhere to strict privacy and confidentiality policies to protect participants' data under the privacy rules of the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency, which is a trustee under the Health Information Protection Act (HIPA) and in compliance with provincial legislation.
Who will have access to my personal information?: Your personal identifying information (name, address, and health card number) will only be accessible by authorized personnel from the Healthy Future Sask under controlled conditions. Any disclosure of your personal identifying Information will comply with the Saskatchewan Health Information Protection Act (HIPA). No third party, like an insurance company, employer, family or friends, will be able to access any of your Information.
What happens if I change my name or contact information?: You can contact us by emailing @email to update your name, address, or phone number.
Also, you are still a part of Healthy Future Sask even if you move to another province or country!
How do I sign up for the study?: It’s easy! Join the study online, or call us at 1-833-701-0089 to request a paper study package in the mail.
Do I need to visit a clinic to participate?: A clinic visit is optional; if you cannot visit a study centre (Regina or Saskatoon) and are interested in providing a biological sample, we can mail you a saliva kit. But, if you change your mind and want to donate blood, you can book an appointment to visit our study centres in Regina or Saskatoon anytime.
Why do we collect biological samples?: Providing blood or saliva at our clinic is optional. We collect blood and saliva because they are a source of genetic information (DNA). Changes in DNA can give rise to diseases, but it is not always clear why or how these changes occur. In addition, levels of hormones, vitamins, and other environmental factors can be measured in the blood.
Your biological samples and information will be coded (i.e., your name will be replaced by a code) and stored in a highly secure, protected site within the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency facilities for future use in health research studies.
Will I receive results from research done using my biological samples?: Researchers who use a participant's biological samples and information for research studies in the future might discover something unexpected that could significantly affect a participant's health (known as an 'incidental research finding'). For example, a researcher could uncover something that could be life-threatening or reveal a serious condition that could be treated or prevented. In the event of this occurring, the researcher, the Research Ethics Board, and Healthy Future Sask will work together on a case-by-case basis to decide whether the incidental research finding should be communicated to the participant.
What steps are being taken to ensure that the Study is performed ethically?: All researchers who apply to access the Healthy Future Sask data for their research studies will be required to have their study plans reviewed and approved by a Research Ethics Board. Research Ethics Boards look after research studies that involve humans (including biological samples and information collected from humans) to ensure that the proposed research will be carried out according to the highest ethical and scientific standards.
Will my insurance company or employer find out any of my information?: Your family members, friends, employers, and insurance companies will not be able to access any information about you that has been collected from Healthy Future Sask.

Do I have to complete the entire questionnaire in one sitting?: No! You are able to step away at any time. Simply click the “Save & Return Later” button at the bottom of the page you are on. Enter your email address where requested, and make a note of the access code provided on the page. You will be sent a survey link via email with an access code, which you can use to access the questionnaire from where you left off. If you do not receive any emails related to the survey link, please check your spam folder.
Can I skip questions?: Questions in each page must be completed before moving to the next page.
I want to change the answer I selected, but the other options disappeared. How do I fix this?: Below or beside the response options will be the word “reset”. If you click this word all response options should appear and your chosen answer will be erased.
How do I go back to a page I already completed to review or change my answers?: At the end of the page, there is a “Previous Page” button. Click on this button to go back to the previous page to review and modify your answers.
The font is too small. Can I make it bigger?: Yes! At the top right of the page are the controls to resize the font. By clicking the (+) you will increase the size of the font. By clicking the (-), you will decrease the size of the font.

Women’s Health Section

WH011. I pumped breast milk. How should I answer this question?: For the purpose of this questionnaire, pumping breast milk is considered breastfeeding. Please include the number of months that you pumped breast milk as time breastfeeding.
WH13. I have/had an IUD that caused my periods to stop for more than one year. How should I answer?: If an IUD or other hormonal contraceptive(s) made your menstrual periods stop for more than one year, the answer should be “No”, because your menstrual periods would be/are expected to return if the IUD were to be removed/you stopped using the hormonal contraceptives.
WH15. Is fertility treatment considered a form of hormone replacement therapy (HRT)?: No, for the purpose of this question, fertility treatment is not considered a form of HRT. Question WH12 asks about the use of hormone fertility treatment.

Personal Medical History Section

PM01. Do I consider a TIA (transient ischemic attack) or mini stroke as a stroke?: No, do not consider a TIA or mini stroke to count as a stroke. Please record your TIA by writing it in for question PM05.
PM01. Do I consider a diagnosis of Prediabetes to be a diagnosis of Diabetes?: No, do not consider prediabetes to be diabetes. Please record your diagnosis of prediabetes by writing it in for question PM05.
PM02. What do you consider to be Major Depression?: For the purpose of this questionnaire, any depression that has been diagnosed by a physician is considered Major Depression. This includes clinical, mild, situational, and post-partum depressions, as long as it was diagnosed by a physician.
PM02. What do you consider to be Chronic Hepatitis?: Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C are both considered Chronic Hepatitis. Hepatitis A is NOT considered Chronic Hepatitis.
PM02. I have Osteopenia. Is that the same as Osteoporosis?: No. If you have osteopenia, but not osteoporosis, your answer should be ‘No’.
PM02. I have Bursitis. Should I write that in as a type of Arthritis?: No. If you have bursitis, please write it in as a separate condition for question PM05.
PM02. I have Gout. Should I write that in as a type of Arthritis?: Yes. Gout is considered a type of Arthritis.

Prescribed Medication Section

ME01. How do I find the drug identification number (DIN)?: The DIN is an 8-digit number printed on the prescription label. The DIN is NOT the prescription/Rx number. If you are not able to find the DIN, please provide the medication strength (e.g., 20 mg) and the manufacturer (e.g,. APO, PMS, TEVA), which is usually given as a prefix in front of the medication name.

Alcohol Use Section

AU03. How do I properly fill out the table?

We are looking for you to provide us a total of how many drinks (of the provided types) you drink during a typical weekday and typical weekend during the past 12 months. This number should reflect your answer to AU02 (if you said 4 – 5 times per week, we are expecting to see a minimum of 4 drinks recorded on the AU03 table).
For example, if you typically drink a glass of red wine on Monday, two beer on Wednesday, three beer on Friday, and one rum and coke on Saturday you would:

Put ‘1’ Red Wine in the ‘Number of drinks on weekdays’ column
Put ‘2’ Beer in the ‘Number of drinks on weekdays’ column
Put ‘3’ Beer in the ‘Number of drinks on weekends’ column
Put ‘1’ Liquor or Spirit in the ‘Number of drinks on weekends’ column

Table example for the Alcohol Use section of the survey

Environmental Tobacco Smoke Section

ET06. How do I respond to this question if I am retired, not working, or unemployed?: Select Never.

Marijuana Use Section

Is vaping marijuana considered smoking?: For the purposes of this questionnaire, vaping is considered to be smoking.
Does the ingestion of edible marijuana (in candy, cookies, oils, etc.) count in this section?: No. please note we are only asking about smoking marijuana in this section, not the consumption of marijuana-based products.
MU08. During the time that I smoked marijuana or hashish, I usually smoked less than one joint or pipe in a day. How should I answer this question?: If you usually smoked less than one joint or pipe in a day, please select ‘1 per day’.

Ethnic Background Section

EB01. Can I select more than one?: Yes, select as many responses as are applicable, including ‘Don’t Know’ with any other ethnicity.
EB02. What do you consider to be part of the United Kingdom?: For the purpose of this questionnaire England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are all part of the United Kingdom.

Working Status Section

WS01 – WS08. I am currently on a leave from work (maternity/paternity/ sickness/etc.). How should I answer these questions?: Answer these questions based on your working status/position before you left for your current leave, if you intend to return to that position once your leave.